HockeyDirt.com

Doing something wrong

From today's Globe & Mail:

Bloggers are living in a world where emotions may be real but everything else is make-believe, says a University of Calgary professor in a new book. 

...makes blogging as melancholic and illusionary as Don Quixote tilting at windmills,"

...creating feelings of loneliness for those who aren't lucky enough to reach "celebrity" status.

Clearly those of us responsible for HockeyDirt are doing something wrong & missing the blogging boat.  Producing HockeyDirt is having none of these effects.  Instead, the site has connected us to hockey fans from across North America & around the world & provided us with endless topics for discussion & debate with our hockey playing friends.  Thanks for reading.

How to Become an NHL Head Coach

Hey kids, wanna grow up to be an NHL head coach?  No problem, the "formula" is dead easy.  We'll even give you tips on the path you'll need to follow to get a top job in the NBA, NFL or Major League Baseball. 

First, you will need to make it to the NHL as a player.  The majority (19 of 30) of active NHL coaches played in the league.  While a long playing career is not a necessity, it certainly helps.  Six current coaches played 1,000+ games and 4 more played over 500 games.  With 1,487 games under his belt no current coach has more playing experience than Wayne Gretzky, although Guy Carbonneau (1,318) & Denis Savard (1,196) are not far behind.  Gretzky, Carbonneau & Savard also have the distinction of being members of the Hockey Hall of Fame and all three are attempting to belie the theory that great players cannot become successful coaches. 

HockeyDirt Solves the NHL's Scheduling Problem

With this week's decision to stick with the status quo & retain the current unbalanced schedule, the NHL has satisfied no-one. 

When the league's governors met in Dallas they agreed that the current scheduling arrangement is a disaster.  Unfortunately they were unable to agree on a fix.  The problems with the current arrangement are well documented.  The most ridiculous by-product of the current sked is that the league's most marketable young stars, Sidney Crosby & Alexander Ovechkin only make an appearance in Western conference arenas every 3 years.  You can only imagine how frustrated Western fans must get when they see NHL marketing focused on Sid the Kid and have to wait months or even years to see him.

The league's inability to come up with a fan-friendly schedule is baffling & here at HockeyDirt we think we have the answer. 

What a load of crap!!!!!

To start with, HockeyDirt fans, as dwindling as you may be, I must apologize for spending so much time away from the keyboard over the first half of the the 06-07 season. I've kind of been caught up with other things, and to top it off, there really hasn't been that much happening in the world of hockey to set off my "rant" emotion, so I've been pretty quiet.

For those of you who have been waiting for an opinion or two, you might think, "What a load of crap!"

Well, let me tell you, enough has happened to, not necessarily get my blood boiling, but certainly to warm it up.

Let's start with....hmm....the All Star Game. That seems timely, non?

Name That Senator

Like all Canadians, Ottawans pride themselves on their hockey knowledge.  Surely no member of the Senators could wander around a downtown mall in the middle of the season without attracting mobs of autograph seekers & well-wishers, could he?

Watch what happened when the Ottawa Senator who is first in the league in plus/minus & 5th on the team in scoring hit the mall with Sportsnet reporter Ian Mendes. 

Creating a True NHL Mid-Season Classic

The NHL All-Star game is a bust, appealing to neither die-hard nor casual fans.  Loyal fans turn their noses up at the game because it lacks the hitting and intensity of the real thing & because the game is meaningless.  Newcomers to the game are unlikely to be drawn to something that looks more like the Ice Capades with sticks & a puck than a real hockey game. 

The good news is that the mid-season classic can be rescued and turned into a true showcase that would excite both hockey aficionados and newbies alike.  How?  Easy - by scheduling a real game between the best teams in the league. 

Losing the Gretzky Tuck

Bloomberg reports that "The National Hockey League may create its first policy on uniforms enforced by fines to make sure players don't alter the new streamlined gear designed by Adidas AG's Reebok International Ltd."

Does this mean that the Gretzky tuck*, a style favoured by many around the league, will be banned?  Presumably Roenick's signature full tuck would also be out. 

*Gretzky's signature sweater tuck originated at age six. Since he was four years younger than the next youngest player on the team, his hockey sweater didn't fit properly. Gretzky's oversized sweater would get caught on his stick on his shooting side. One day Gretzky's father tucked that side of the sweater in his pants. It's remained there ever since. (Source:  CBC - Hockey's Meteoric Star)

Heatley slips

Every now & then an athlete forgets that when questioned by the media they are supposed to respond with a series of meaningless clichés.  The latest was Dany Heatley:

Asked yesterday morning by an esteemed member of the media if he could be described as "old school", Dany Heatley was sharp with his reply. "I don't know," he said, "it's your job to stereotype players."

Scrap the All-Star Game

The NHL All-Star game should be scrapped. 

Over the years the league has tinkered with a variety of formats in an effort to generate interest and excitement.  For years (1948-1968) the game pitted the league's stars against the defending Cup champs.  When the league expanded from 6 to 12 teams they opted for an East vs West format, later to become Campbell Conference vs Adams.  For a few years they experimented with North America vs World, which often meant teammates would oppose each other in the game.  None of these formats have succeeded, the All-Star game still resembles a game of shinny. 

Short of offering huge prize money to the winning team, no format will produce a truly competitive game.  No player wants to be hurt in the game, nor do they want to cause an injury to an opponent & fellow NHLPA member.   But much can be done to spice up the All-Star festivities and make it an exciting showcase of the league's players and their amazing abilities.

African Americans in Hockey

From Pegasus News:  "As part of the 2007 All-Star Celebration, the NHL and the African American Museum of Dallas will present a luncheon titled African Americans in Hockey: A Discussion of the Origins."

"...the NHL and the Hockey Hall of Fame will create an exhibit at the African American Museum of Dallas to run throughout the week of the 2007 NHL All-Star Celebration. Highlights from this exhibit will include Willie O’Ree’s stick from his 1960-61 season with the Boston Bruins, Reggie Savage’s jersey from his 1992-93 season with the Washington Capitals and Grant Fuhr’s mask from his 1993-95 seasons with the Buffalo Sabres."

Tonight's Senators vs Rangers game featured black goalies (Emery vs Weekes) for both teams.  Perhaps the first time black goalies have faced each other in an NHL game.